The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial variety of hybrid Westringia, which has been given the variety denomination of ‘WES03’. Its market class is that of an ornamental plant. ‘WES03’ is intended for use in landscaping and as a decorative plant.
Parentage: Controlled pollination of maternal parent Westringia hybrid ‘x2003.9.1’ (unpatented) with pollen parent Westringia hybrid ‘x2003.9.3’ (unpatented) in September of 2004 at a commercial plant breeding facility in Cobbity, New South Wales, Australia. Resulting seed was sown the following year in March 2005. Several seedlings were selected and subsequently transferred to 10 cm pots in October of 2005. The Westringia hybrid variety ‘WES03’ was finally selected in 2009 following a selection process carried out from 2005 to 2009. ‘WES03’ was selected for possessing uniquely colored flowers and upright yet shorter growth habit compared to both parents.
Asexual Reproduction: ‘WES03’ was first propagated asexually by division in the state of New South Wales, Australia and has since been asexually propagated by division and micropropagation. The distinctive characteristics of the inventive ‘WES03’ variety are stable from generation to generation; plants of the variety produced by asexual reproduction maintain the distinguishing characteristics of the original plant.
An application for plant breeders' rights for variety ‘WES03’ has been lodged with the Australian Plant Breeders' Rights Office, and was accepted on 13 May 2011 under Application No. 2011/044.